1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rope cleats, mooring cleats and similar securing devices employed in material tie downs and the like.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Much time has been spent devising new fastening devices for ropes cords and lines which, in turn, are used to secure items. Almost all of the fastening devices are permanently mounted or attached to some object. A problem that has not been addressed deals with providing a mobile device (one not permanently attached to some object) whose primary purpose is to facilitate the removal of slack from a rope, line or cord that is being used to tie down cargo, and to secure the loose end of the same rope, line or cord as the final stage of tying down the cargo with a requirement that security of said loose end needs to occur simply and without slippage to prevent loss of tautness after the slack has been removed. Likewise, the unfastening effort needs to be simple and quick.
Hereinafter the word "rope" will be used to denote such elongated articles as ropes, cords or lines. Previously proposed cleats have been embodied in numerous and varied configurations. Many types may be found in the following list of U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee Date Filed/Granted ______________________________________ D.209,330 Coderre F-Nov. 21, 1967 816,827 Skene F-Nov. 03, 1905 942,009 Mueller F-Feb. 17, 1909 962,675 Sims F-Jan. 02, 1909 966,297 Bart F-June 07, 1909 986,014 Krenzke F-Dec. 22, 1908 1,011,726 Berry F-Mar. 21, 1911 1,251,778 Humble F-Mar. 28, 1917 1,531,746 Fort F-May 22, 1923 1,968,935 Fisher F-Oct. 12, 1933 1,986,994 Armacost F-Nov. 01, 1933 2,510,862 Buehl F-Nov. 17, 1945 2,677,863 St. John G-May 11, 1954 2,836,141 Brydon G-Mar. 27, 1958 2,873,499 Bartholomew G-Feb. 17, 1959 3,090,343 Ronsheim G-May 21, 1963 3,125,978 Faul G-Mar. 24, 1964 3,126,858 Rosinski G-Mar. 31, 1964 3,233,934 Osbom G-Feb. 08, 1966 3,574,900 Emery G-Apr. 13, 1971 3,948,203 Matthews G-Apr, 06, 1976 4,084,532 Feder G-Apr. 18, 1978 4,173,194 McLaughlin G-Nov. 06, 1979 4,373,463 Beaudette G-Feb. 15, 1983 ______________________________________
While all of the above patents disclose various fasteners or cleats useful for interacting with ropes, all of them are designed to be permanently mounted or bolted down to a larger object to be operative and none easily facilitate the removal of slack from the rope just prior to securing its loose end.
U.S. Pat. No. 556,485 granted to Wilson in March of 1896 discloses a rope-grip comprising a straight shank having an eye at one end (to be attached to the end of the rope), U-shaped prongs located one at or near each end of the shank, and one or more intermediate short prongs, all of which said prongs being disposed upon and projecting from the same side of the shank and having their points of juncture with the body or shank in longitudinal alignment, the said prongs being arranged to project alternately in reverse directions, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,810 granted to Emery in November of 1976 discloses a cleat in which both ends of the cord can be held fast, thus enabling the cleat to be used in the manner of a buckle on wearing apparel, although it is not limited to use on wearing apparel. One end of the cord may be removably held in the cleat and the other end relatively permanently engaged in the cleat. Means are provided -whereby the cord may be passed around an object and then both ends secured in the cleat.
None of the above provides a rope fastening device that can be temporarily anchored to the rope itself, that easily facilitates the removal of slack from the rope prior to securing it (after it has served its purpose of securing cargo ), and at the same time offers an easy, fast and totally secure method for fastening the loose end of the rope.